Ex-student Charged In Fire That Killed 2

AMES, IA. — A former Iowa State University student has been charged with setting a fire earlier this week that killed two children of one of his former professors.

Dale Eugene Royer, 26, was arrested Friday on one count of first-degree arson and two counts of murder in connection with the fire set at the Ames home of Deepinder Sidhu, an Iowa State computer science professor.

Royer, of rural Coon Rapids, about 65 miles northwest of Des Moines, was a computer science graduate student at the university last year. He left school in May, 1985, with his degree program uncompleted.

Sidhu said Saturday that he barely knew Royer and had no clues as to why the former student would want to harm him or his family.

``He was in one of my classes a couple of years ago and asked me if I would be his adviser once, but I couldn`t,`` Sidhu said. ``I don`t remember anything unusual about him. He was just like all the other students.``

Authorities said interviews with 50 to 75 witnesses led to Royer`s arrest, but they would not disclose any possible motives. They believe he acted alone.

Fire broke out at Sidhu`s home early Tuesday while he was at a conference in Texas. His wife and six other family members were home asleep at the time. Ravinder Sidhu, 7, and his 12-year-old brother, Harjit, trapped in a bedroom, were rescued by firefighters and taken to local hospitals, where they died Tuesday of smoke inhalation.

Three other family members who fled the burning two-story home were treated at Ames hospitals for burns and smoke inhalation and released. Two others escaped unharmed.

Story County attorney Mary Richards said an intensive investigation, led by the state fire marshal`s office and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations, showed somebody had forced his way into the house. She said diesel fuel was used to start the fire, which began in the living room and caused damage estimated at $100,000.

Ames Police Chief Dennis Ballantine said Royer was being held until his arraignment Monday in Story County Associate District Court.

In Iowa, first-degree arson carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment and each murder charge is punishable by life imprisonment.